ROME, Ga. - Holly Compton scored a game high 24 points and Berry came back from a 21-point first-half deficit to defeat LaGrange 86-85 in overtime Monday at the Cage Center.
LaGrange took a 34-13 lead when Elizabeth Williams hit a pair of free throws with 5:18 remaining in the first half. But the Lady Vikings began to chip away, finishing the half with an 18-4 run to go into the lockerroom trailing by just seven points.
The Berry run would continue into the second half, as the Lady Vikes scored the first seven points of the half, eventually tying the score 38-38 on Alexa Evans' 3-pointer less than a minute-and-a-half in.
But LaGrange would answer with a run of its own, scoring 12 straight points to go ahead 50-38. Brittany Coughlan finally put an end to the run when she banked in a 3-point shot at the 13:05 mark.
Again, Berry would fight back, regaining the lead when Compton hit four free throws with 6:51 remaining to make the score 58-57. Compton first hit a pair of free throws and was then immediately fouled by Summer Bush, putting her right back on the line.
The teams spent the rest of regulation trading the lead, with neither squad leading by more than three points the rest of the second half.
Carol Lampley would give Berry a 74-72 lead when she hit a layup with 23 seconds left in regulation, but LaGrange's Heather Miller hit a pair of free throws with two seconds remaining to send the game into overtime.
Berry went ahead 82-78 with less than two minutes remaining in overtime, but the Panthers' Stephanie Schuck drilled a 3-pointer from the corner to pull LaGrange to within one point. But Evans would convert a traditional three-point play with 1:09 on the clock to put Berry back up by four points.
Katie Covington answered with a jumper with 1:07 left to make the score 85-83. Evans was then fouled by Abbey Martin, but missed both free throw attempts.
After a LaGrange turnover, Compton was fouled by Williams with 24 seconds remaining in overtime. She hit one free throw to make the score 86-83. Williams would drive for two points with 14 seconds to play to get LaGrange back within a point, but it was too little, too late.
Compton played all 45 minutes for the Lady Vikings, who won their fourth straight game and improved to 10-9 overall. Coughlan finished with 19 points, seven rebounds, eight assists and three steals.
Lampley and Evans joined Compton and Coughlan in double figures for Berry. Lampley finished with 14 points and six rebounds, and Evans collected 13 points and seven boards.
Heather Miller led LaGrange with 22 points. She also grabbed eight rebounds. Williams scored 15 points and hauled down nine boards, while Covington and Schuck scored 14 points each. Schuck also grabbed nine rebounds.
The victory avenged an 88-68 loss at LaGrange on Jan. 19. LaGrange, which entered the game leading the nation in scoring, dropped to 14-3.
The game also marked the third time Berry has won by two points or less in the last four games, and the second overtime win in three games.
Berry is scheduled to return to action this Wednesday at 6 p.m., when it hosts Maryville College.
- BerryVikings.com -
